Secrecy after air force helicopter visit

Secrecy surrounds a New Zealand Air Force helicopter that was spotted lowering a person onto land in Ostend last Thursday. Island photographer Roger Whitefield says the helicopter hovered over a hill above Erua Road and a person in a military uniform was lowered to the ground and was winched back up to the helicopter on Thursday morning. The helicopter was also seen flying over Crescent Road in Palm Beach. A defence force spokesperson confirms that an air force helicopter visited Waiheke last week, but would not provide any further information for “operational reasons”. A police spokesperson says there is no information suggesting police were involved with the air force mission. Waiheke Facebook users were quick to ponder whether the flights were related to drug raids, but the air force refused to provide any response to questions about this possibility. • Rose Davis